


Blazing Path

by ChemKid43



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates, Fire Emblem: Kakusei | Fire Emblem: Awakening
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-15
Updated: 2020-03-15
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:00:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,914
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23160601
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChemKid43/pseuds/ChemKid43
Summary: When Athena chooses neither Hoshido or Nohr she doesn't end up in Valla(which doesn't exist). She, Jakob and Felicia end up in Ylisse, where she is found by Chrom, Lissa and Frederick. She survives the war with Plegia and establishes a life for herself. Unfortunately peace doesn't last, and she may need the families that disowned her in order to survive this new war.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 9





	Blazing Path

**Author's Note:**

> Two things that need to be established right away:  
> 1\. Athena actually is related to the Hoshidan royal family, and Azura is actually related to the Nohrian royal family. Their mothers are sisters so they're cousins.  
> 2\. Athena does not turn into a dragon. She had that ability because Anankos was her father, but since Sumeragi is her actual father in this story that is not happening.  
> Other than that I can't think of anything I need to correct. Enjoy!

Blood was staining the ground around her. The sword in her hands felt heavy as she observed everything around her from her horses saddle. She had the oddest feeling as she watched the events unfolding, like everything was real but it wasn't real at the same time. It felt like she was forgetting something. Something important. Something that had happened and was yet to happen at the same time.

It was really weird.

Suddenly, a voice cut through her pondering, bringing her back to the here and now. "Come on, Athena! We've got work to do!"

Looking over, Athena found herself looking at a red haired... _Hoshidan?_ That couldn't be right. Nohr was on the brink of war with Hoshido. Why would she be working with one of them?

As she thought about this she didn't even notice the warrior _(Nohrian warrior)_ charging at her with an ax until she felt the blade brush against her armored leg. The soldier came back around to strike again, but the red haired woman riding a Pegasus dove into the fight to block the blow. With his attack effortlessly deflected, the soldier backed up a bit to analyze the situation.

The red haired woman turned back to Athena, a worried look planted on her face. "Athena, what's the matter with you? You seem distracted..." She gave a smile that was clearly meant to be reassuring. "If you're worried, don't be. All your siblings are here with you. The Nohrians don't stand a chance!"

Siblings?

Athena didn't have time to ponder this because she knew the soldier that had attacked her wouldn't stay complacent for long. She needed to take him out before he could kill her. She narrowed her eyes and it was as if a grid appeared on the landscape around her. Within three seconds she sized up her opponent.

Armed with a bronze ax.

Very little skill.

Poor defense and mobility.

Easy.

It only took two strikes for Athena to kill her enemy. She closed her eyes and looked away as he fell.

What's done is done.

As she was checking her surroundings for more assailants she heard a strong voice echo across the field. "I demand to know why you Nohrian dogs are invading Hoshido! Was that cowardly attack on my people your doing as well, Prince?" It didn't take long for Athena to find the source of the voice.

A Hoshidan man wearing red armor and a white coat. His dark brown hair long and wild, his sword crackling with electricity. The look on his face was hard as he stared at...

Xander?

There was no mistaking the blond man sitting atop his horse, Siegfried in hand. His face was serious, more so than whenever they trained together. His eyes briefly glanced away from his adversary and found Athena. While he may not have smiled at her with his mouth he definitely smiled with his eyes. She could tell even with the great distance between them, and it did a lot to comfort her. Then he turned back to the brown haired man. "I have nothing to say to you. Now surrender. If you refuse, you shall die."

Then they were locked in battle, exchanging brutal blows.

It might have been more difficult to watch than killing someone herself.

Things after that became a bit of a blur for Athena. The river drying up. Reinforcements on both the Nohrian and Hoshidan sides. Killing another enemy, leaving him to drown in his own blood after her sword had torn a hole in his lung.

But things were really confusing after she killed her last enemy _(as if they hadn't been already)._

Athena advanced towards the two powerful men with the three Hosidans that had been surrounding her since she came to her senses on the field. The red haired woman flew ahead, eagerly approaching the brown haired man and called out, "Ryoma, are you all right?"

He turned to her as Xander did the same with Camilla, Leo and Elise. "I'll be fine. I'm glad you're all safe as well." Then he turned to watch the Nohrian force to the west. "Their reinforcements are headed this way. I need you to handle them while I finish this fight." He turned to the only person who seemed to have no idea what was going on. "Athena, I'm counting on you to keep everyone safe."

Athena barely kept herself from asking why she would help him.

Just then Xander cut into the conversation, a relieved smile on his face. Athenas heart jumped at the sight. Maybe he could help her understand what was happening. "Athena! Thank goodness we found you. They haven't hurt you, have they?" He glared at the Hoshidans briefly before speaking again. "Hurry over here. We're going to take you home with us."

Just then Ryoma stepped forward. "Silence! Athena is already home. She is a princess of Hoshido!"

Huh?

"You speak lies, 'High Prince.'" Xander said the title in such a mocking way, she could tell he was trying to provoke the man. "My sister is a princess of Nohr."

Camillas wyvern landed next to Xanders horse as she smiled. "Oh, I've been so worried about you, Darling. Don't ever go off like that again!"

Leo smiled from his place behind Xander. "I'm glad you're okay, Athena. You're quite lucky. I hope you know that."

And Athena heard Elise squeal, even though she couldn't quite see her. "Yay! We got our sister back!"

It was good to see all her siblings, even if she didn't quite understand the situation she was in. All she wanted was to wrap this up so she could go home. To train with Xander. Study with Leo in the library. Bake with Camilla. Even play music on her piano while Elise played her violin. She could even find Jakob and have tea with him, though he would insist on letting her finish her first cup before he had any.

Before Athena had the chance to smile at her brothers and sisters, Hinoka broke in. "Nohrian filth! You kidnapped her and now you're lying to her." She maneuvers her Pegasus so that she's blocking Athenas line of sight to her family. "She's my sister!"

Athena didn't have to see Camilla to know that her eyes were narrowed. This Hoshidan woman was treading in dangerous waters. "You're the one lying. Athena is my sister and you will not have her."

Ryoma moved to stand next to Athena and placed a hand on her leg since she was still on her horse. He looked up at her and spoke seriously. "Don't fall for their lies. You belong in Hoshido with your real family."

"We have loved you and raised you since you were a child." Athena furrowed her brows. Why did she feel so strange about the way Xander phrased that. "Come home, Little Princess. Our family will be whole once again!"

The hand on her leg tightened its grip. "Come home to Hoshido, Athena!"

Then the world faded to white.

* * *

Nohr was far darker than the place she had just been, especially at the Northern Fortress. So, it was slightly jarring for Athena when she woke up to such a lack of sunlight. Pushing herself up onto her elbows, she looked around to find her dimly lit room. The stone walls. The large windows. The small table with the black, purple and gold fine china tea set in the corner. The vanity with all the hair care and makeup products Camilla gifted to her. She was home. It was just a dream.

And if she looked out the balcony window...

There was Xander, her beloved big brother. She knew it couldn't still be last night, so she probably had about thirty minutes until Jakob, Felicia and Flora arrived to try and wake her up. Normally it was a rather difficult task, she did love her sleep. But today. After the dream she just had...

When she was little she made a rule for herself that she would never let Xander know she could see him training from her window. Just in case he decided to move so he wouldn't disturb her. It was time to break that rule.

Getting dressed in a simple black tunic and a pair of brown training pants, Athena left her room and made her way down the stairs. It was almost mindless as she wandered the halls to the training area. After years of living in the Northern Fortress it had come to the point where she didn't even need to think about where she was going. She just let her feet walk and soon enough she was standing in the courtyard. "Xander?"

The broad man stopped mid swing, turning his head to look at his sister. He seemed a bit surprised before quickly smoothing it over. He turned to face her, smiling. "Athena, you're awake early. Should I mark the calendar for the special occasion?"

"Is it that hard to believe that I can wake up a little early?"

Her brother leveled her with a look at that question. "I literally had to pull you out of bed by your ankles yesterday." Then his look became even less amused. "Even then I had to send Peri to get a bucket of water to pour on you."

Athena could feel a blush rise up on her neck and cheeks, almost the same shade as her dark red hair.

It didn't even occur to her until that point that she and that Hinoka woman shared their hair color.

"Fair enough."

"So," Xander moved so he could sit on one of the benches along the side of the training area. "Why don't you sit down and tell me what managed to get you up so early.

And she did. She told him about the dream. About the Hoshidans: Ryoma, Hinoka, Takumi and Sakura. How they called her their sister and a princess of Hoshido. That they were in the middle of a battle between Nohr and Hoshido. That her Nohr siblings and 'Hoshido siblings' were pulling her back and forth, trying to get her to side with them. How confused and _scared_ she had been.

As she spoke she could see Xander was getting more and more serious. She could tell he was troubled by what he was hearing.

Once she finished explaining her dream to him, he stood. And he pulled her to her feet. Then he did something that was rare for Xander.

He hugged her.

Her brother is a good deal taller than her, so she ends up with her forehead pressed against his collar bone. His arms wrap around her shoulders and her hands come up to grip the back of the shirt he was wearing.

"You are our sister. You have been since the day you came into our lives. Any one of our siblings will tell you the same."

They stood there for a moment before Xander squeezed her a little and released her. "Now, you should probably go get ready." Athena looked up at him with a questioning face. "To leave. Don't you remember? You won in our match yesterday, so you will be traveling with us to Castle Krakenburg."

Athena felt her mouth split into a smile at that and her brown eyes started to sparkle. "Oh yeah! See you later big brother." Then she tore off without even noticing the troubled look Xander stared after her with.


End file.
